Factors affecting Eye Witness Testimony

Question 1

What is anxiety?

Answer 1

An unpleasant emotional state where we fear that something bad will happen

Question 2

What is Johnson and Scott’s research (1976) on the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony?

Answer 2

• Participants in low anxiety condition heard a casual conversation and a man walked out with a pen and grease on his hands
• Other participants in high anxiety condition heard a heated argument and glass smashing, and a man walked out with a knife and blood on his hands

Question 3

What were the findings of Johnson and Scott’s research (1976) on the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony?

Answer 3

Participants picked out a man from a set of 50 photos:
- 49% identified the first man
- 33% identified the second man

Question 4

What is tunnel theory of memory?

Answer 4

People have enhanced memory of central events (weapon focus)

Question 5

What were the findings of Yville and Cutshall’s research (1986)

Answer 5

Individuals who reported high levels of stress had the most accurate recall - 88% compared to 75% for less stressed. This suggests that anxiety does not have a detrimental effect on accuracy of eye witness memory